ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. vault — a safe
  3. deal — to handle
  4. court — of law
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. wake — a trail
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. pop — soda
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. court — of a king
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. cell — in biology
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. court — for sport
  20. swing — to play on
  21. pop — to visit
  22. pop — music
  23. swing — music
  24. swing — in golf

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com